On Tuesday night, the Warriors punched their ticket to the Western Conference Finals with their Game 5 victory over New Orleans.

How did the coaching staff celebrate?

"We had a couple of drinks in the office after the game. A beer or two. For me, I stick to my Vodka," assistant coach Mike Brown said on KNBR 680 on Wednesday. "We had a drink and we talked about the whole series and we talked a little bit about the upcoming series."

Ah, yes. That upcoming series against the Houston Rockets -- which doesn't start until Monday.

How challenging is it to keep everybody focused and dialed in with Game 1 still over four days away?

"As coaches, the tricky part is -- how much do we do?" Brown answered. "It's obvious that they get a day off -- they don't even need to think about anything today so we keep them at home today.

"But then, we're gonna bring them in the next day -- do we practice the next day? And then the following day, do we need to have a scrimmage? So the tricky part is trying to find that nice healthy balance throughout this time "off" until your games, just making sure they stay in shape.

"But then you don't want to get guys hurt or risk injury. So that's the tricky part about having a lot of time between games."

Game 2 is on Wednesday and then Game 3 in Oakland is not until Sunday, May 20 -- so there will be another extended break once the series begins.

Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller

A couple of weeks ago, Brown talked with NBC Sports Bay Area's Monte Poole about being patient when it comes to taking another head gig.

"For me, it's fairly easy to be patient," Brown said on the Warriors Insider Podcast. "Part of it is, I feel like I don't ever get too high or too low ... I try to stay as even-keeled as possible ... yes, someday I would like to be a head coach again, but the thing that helps me out more than anything else is this organization.

"I think if I was with a different group, a different organization, maybe if we weren't winning at the level we are winning at or at least the potential to win at the level that we have -- maybe I'd be champing at the bit."

Brown also said that he won't just take any job.

"One of the things that I look at more than anything else -- there are only so many teams that truly have an opportunity to win it each year ... from there, you gotta look at the makeup of the team, the direction of the team.

"When it comes to being selective, it's not necessarily about going to a team that's a winning team or that has a winning record. The most important thing -- at least what I've seen in winning organizations -- is that there's a connection between the front office and the coaching staff; more importantly the general manager and the head coach."

Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller

How patient will he be in terms of wanting to get another shot as a head coach?

"For me, it's fairly easy to be patient," Brown answered. "Part of it is, I feel like I don't ever get too high or too low ... I try to stay as even-keeled as possible ... yes, someday I would like to be a head coach again, but the thing that helps me out more than anything else is this organization.

"I think if I was with a different group, a different organization, maybe if we weren't winning at the level we are winning at or at least the potential to win at the level that we have -- maybe I'd be champing at the bit."

Brown was the head coach of the Cavs for five seasons from 2005 to 2010, and was named Coach of the Year in 2008-09.

He coached the Lakers in 2011-12 and was fired five games into the 2012-13 season.

He returned to Cleveland for the 2013-14 season but was fired after a 33-49 campaign.

When Brown was fired in May 2014, a provision in the contract spread the payments out over the next six years.

Brown will get all the money guaranteed him, with the amount he’s paid as part of his Golden State Warriors contract being deducted, and the Cavs pay the balance.

Is Brown willing to be selective when it comes to taking another head coaching gig?

"Yes I am. One of the things that I look at more than anything else -- there are only so many teams that truly have an opportunity to win it each year ... from there, you gotta look at the makeup of the team, the direction of the team.

"When it comes to being selective, it's not necessarily about going to a team that's a winning team or that has a winning record. The most important thing -- at least what I've seen in winning organizations -- is that there's a connection between the front office and the coaching staff; more importantly the general manager and the head coach."

Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller